Metallic cover for closing the hatchways of ships



Feb. l0, 1953 P. A. MEGE 2,627,835

METALLIC COVER FOR CLOSING THE 'HATOHWAYS OE SHIPS TTORNE LEA P. A. MEGE Feb. l0, 1953 METALLIC COVER FOR CLOSING'IHE HATCHWAYS OF SHIPS Filed July 22, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet Amm P. A. MEGE Feb. 10,1953

METALLIC COVER FOR CLOSING THE HATOEWAYS OF SHIPS Filed July 22, 1946 n MVT 4U Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 10, 1953 P. A. MEGE 2,627,835

METALLIC COVER FOR cLo'sING THE HATcHwAYs oF SHIPS Filed July 22, 194e 4 sheets-sheet 4 Flag. /a

06u@ @u um rra/MM Patented Feb. 10, 1953 OFFICE METALLIC COVERFOR CLSING THE HATCHWAYS OF SHIPS Paul Andr Mege, Poissy, France Application July 22, 1946, Serial No. 685,358 In France .Iu'ly 20, 1945 This invention relates to hatch covers of the kind in which metal sections are hinged together and to the coaming so that they are folded and unfolded in opening and closing the hatch. In particular it relates to hatch covers as described in the specification of British specification No. 466,019 (complete accepted May 14, 1937) wheren cover sections, of which one is hinged to the hatch coaming, are raised and folded together by a lifting effort applied at the hinges connecting one section to the other, the two sections thereafter being held erect at one end of the hatch.

Heretofore means of the kind referred to have not been ink all respects so satisfactory as is desired, there being too many external obstructions militating against convenience and safety.

To minimise such disadvantages is the general object of the present invention which provides an improved construction wherein fastenings and other fittings do not for the most part extend above the top surface of the cover when the hatch is closed, the result being that then the cover may be regarded as presenting a practically even and safe external surface. The disposition of the parts furthermore facilitates opening and closing movements of the cover sections by cargo Winches as isusually done, the operation taking place automatically while the fastening down means are undone.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a 1ongitudinal skeleton elevation serving as a key to the external appearance of approximately one half of a hatch cover according to the invention, and Fig. 1a is a similar skeletonrelevation of the other half of the hatch cover, said Figs. l, la, showing the complete hatch cover. Fig. 2 is a corresponding longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the approximate half of the hatch cover shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view on a larger scale of the means, disposed centrally of the hatch, that serves to connect a pair of cover sections at one end of the hatchway to the companion pair of cover sections at the opposite end of the hatchway, as well as the wheel system employed to assist movement of the cover` sections. Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 8 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 5 and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5. Fig. 10. is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line I0 Ill of Fig. 3. Fig. 11 is another sectional view similar to Fig. 10 taken near the sacme point. Fig. 12 is a view similar to'Fig. 11 showing a modification.

2 Claims. (Cl. 114-203) 2 As shown in Figs. l, la, 2 and 3, a and b are the two cover sections at one end of the hatch `which are hinged together, the section a being 'in turn hinged to the hatch Icoaming H. al, l)x represents part of a companion pair of cover sec tions hinged together and to the hatch coaming H at the other end in a manner equivalent to the cover sections a and b it being understood that when closed the sections b and b1 are equipped to come togethent form a tight joint as shown in Fig. 1. 6, 'l (Figs. 4 and 5) represent 'the wheels with which thesections b, b1 are provvvided. d (Fig.2) represents the rope through which a pull is applied to the cover sections at the hinge between them.. When the hatch is A open both sections a, b, and al, b1 are folded at vfthe ends of the hatch, the sections ll) and b1 being vertical and clear of the vhatchway while sections a and a1 have a slight inclination towards the hatch, as indicated .in ydot and dash lines in Fig. 2. j Y

According to the invention each cover section a, b, a1, b1 is constructed caisson fashion. that is to say closed at the top and open below, being built up of transverse reinforcing plates such as .I and longitudinals such as 2 (Fig. 2) the whole being clothed with external metal sheeting 3. These plates and sheeting are welded. to.- gether, thereby reducing the weight of the covers compared with riveting as heretofore. The fixing bolts 4 which pass through the deck' plate 5 (Fig. 6) engage slotted lugs 5al attached to the vertical walls of the covers and do not extend beyond the plane of the top surface of the covers. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, 6 represents the wheel at one side of the cover section h1 and 1 the equivalent wheel at the same side of the cover section b, it being understood that these wheels are duplicated at the opposite side of these cover'sections. Considering the wheelv 6, which runs in a channel iron track 8 (Fig. 4), said wheel is Divoted to the arm 9 of a lever I0 which is pivoted at i I to the cover section b1, the other arm I2 of the lever being engaged by the eye of a .bolt I3 adapted to be raised and lowered under the control of a nut i4 (Fig. 4) bearing on a stirrup bracket I5 attached to the section h1. By this means the cover section b1 is held clear of the coaming while being raised and lowered. 'I'he wheel 1 with its companion at the opposite side of section b constitute a pair, which being equipped and controlled in the same way as the wheel 6 already described, control the section b. The jointing means between the sections b, b1 is shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 9 and comaccises prises as elements a gasket I6 (Fig. 4) located in a channel iron il, the gasket being adapted to bear on two bulb irons i8 which are respectively the ends of sections b and b1. Arms I9 welded to the top of the channel iron IT are pivoted to the section b1 whereby the channel iron can be moved in the act of uncovering the hatch. When the hatch is closed the channel iron Il is held tight upon the bulb irons I8 by bolts 20 (Fig. 9) engaging slotted lugs 2l welded to the channel iron Il. To open the hatch the left hand bolt 29 (Fig. 9) is loosened and turned down as `indicated by the dot and dash line in Fig. 9 whereupon the section b1 can be withdrawn, the channel 4iron l'i being borne by the arms i9 which remain held in position each by its pivot and right hand bolt 29 (Fig. 9). The arms I9 are each formed somewhat as shown in Fig. 9 that is to say with a curved nose 22, this shape ensuring that when the section b1 commences to recede during opening movement the nose will ride over the adjacent bulb iron I3. Conversely as the section b1 returns during closing movement, the opposite inclined edge of the nose will ride against this bulb iron and thus complete the joint automatically. It only remains then to fasten the joint by screwing down the bolts 20. The jointing means it will be seen occupies a space between the sections b and b1 well below the top level of the cover and the general smooth external surface aimed at is maintained by 4iitting a removable lling member 23 (Fig. 9) which may be of wood resting on brackets 2d and held in any suitable manner.

The jointing means between sections a. and b of a pairmay be either of the form shown in Figs. 10,)11or Fig. V12, the latter being a. modification particularly applicable inthe `case of very wide hatchways. In these cases again, the disposition of the hinge parts 26, 28 is such that there is no projection between the level of the ytop surface of the cover and the gap between the section ends may be bridged by a removable filling member 23 as is the gap between the abutting end sections b and b1. The arrangement of Fig. 12 differs from the arrangement of Fig. 11 primarily by the use of a bolt 25 or bolts anchored to the sec,- tion a and adapted to exert additional pressure upon the packing 30.

The mode of obtaining .tightness between ,the coaming and .covers is ,substantially well known and is shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 11.

1. In combination with a hatch coaniing, a pail 0f covers therefor hingedly connected respectively t0 opposite ends of the seeming and adapted to meet at their abutting ends when the Covers are in closed position, each cover Com- Drsns, respectively. inner and outer .hinged .sections constructed rpanel fashion, each section comprising transverse reinforcing plates and longitudinale with external' sheet metal `plating disposed on said longitudinals and transverse platesall welded together and presenting a practically smooth external surface; securing elements between the inner sections of the covers disposed below the top surface of the plating; the inner sections of the covers being adapted to be advanced towards each other and separated, and s aid elements including watertight jointing means having opposed elements xed on the said inner sections; cam `means ycarried by one of said sections Vadapted to guide the jointing means into operative association or to separate same respectively in the act of bringing the sections together or separating them, the said means being disposed in a space between the cover sections; and a removable member closing said space and forming a continuation of the top surface of the plating.

2. In combination with a hatch coaming, a pair of covers therefor hingedly connected respectively to opposite ends of the coaming and adapted to meet at their abutting ends when the covers are in closed position, each cover comprising, respectively, inner and outer `hinged sections constructed panel fashion, each section comprising transverse reinforcing plates and longitudinals with external sheet metal plating disposed on said longitudinale and transverse plates all welded together and presenting a practically smooth external surface; securing elements between the inner sections of the covers disposed below the top `surface of the plating, the inner section of the covers being adapted Yto be advanced towards each other and separated, said securing elements, comprising a pair of opposed elements xed on the inner ends of said inner sections and a cam element iixed to one section and bridging said opposed elements when the sections are in closed position; and ,said cam element carrying a. sealing element cooperating with said opposed elements to bring the sealing element into abutting engagement with said opposed elements when the covers are advanced `towards each other and to separate the sealing elements from said opposed elements when the covers are separated.

PAUL ANDR, Meer.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,821,595 Von Tell Sept. l, 1931 V2,091,7'2'5 Yorke Aug. 31, 1937 2,119,703 Greulicli June 7, 193B 2,194,012 Dawson .et al Mar. 19, 1940 2,257,776 King Oct. '7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 279,292 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1927 370,653 GreatBritain Apr. 14, 1932 409,231 Great Britain Apr. 26, 1934 432,925 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1935 466,019 G'rreatBritain May is, 193'? 

